Wire-feeding mechanism.



L. R. HEIM.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLIQATION FILED FEB. a, 1910.

Patented. Dec. 1, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: ,QJQW M HE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINOIUN. a. r

L. R. HBIM.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 3, 1910 1,119,510,Patented Dec.1,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

A I 3 2% WITNESSES: INVENTOR XQQJQ ZT ZW/QM- L BY ATTORNEY YHE NORRISPETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. c.

L. R. HEIM.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1910. 1, 1 1 9,5 1 O.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

"HE NORRIS PETERS 50., PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. Cv

LEWIS R. HEIIJI, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

WIRE-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914:.

Application filed February 3, 1910. Serial No. 541,808.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS R. HEIM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Danbury, county of Fairlield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented an Improvement in ire-Feeding Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to wire feeding mechanism particularly adaptedfor use in staple driving machines.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a wire feedingmechanism provided. with means for interrupting the wire feedingfunctions when a predetermined quantity of wire has been fed.

A further object is to provide means whereby the wire feeding mechanismmay slip with respect to the wire when the feeding movement isinterrupted.

With these and other objects in'view the invention consists in certainconstructions and in certain parts, improvements and com binations whichwill be hereinafter described and then specifically pointed out in theclaims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specfication inwhich like characters of reference indicate the same parts in all of theviews, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine complete; Fig. 2 aside elevation partly in section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 a rear elevation; Fig. 4: a frontelevation of the head with the face plate removed showing the cutting0E, forming and driving mechanisms in the raised or normal position;Fig. 5 a similar view showing the parts in the depressed position, thefront block being removed; Fig. 6 a detail vertical section on the line66 in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 a view of the forming block detached;'Fig. 8 a viewsimilar to Fig. 4 showing the position of the parts at the instant ofthe cutting otf operation; Fig. 9 a similar view showing the position ofthe parts after the forming operation and before the driving operation;Fig. 10 a section on the line l()l0 in Fig. 9 looking in the directionof the arrows; Fig. 11 an elevation of the former and cutter carryingblock detached; Fig. 12a plan view of said block; and Fig. 13 is adetail elevation of the feed pawl and ratchet and the pinion as seenfrom the right in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, 20 designates the body of my improved staplingdevice,

said body being of approximate L-shape in side elevation to form avertical head and an elongated rearwardly extended supporting base (seeFig. 2) adapted to rest upon one side of a ,boX or case to which a tagor label. is to be attached. A plunger 25 is mounted to reciprocatewithin a suitable bore or guide 26. At the upper end of. the plunger isa rounded head 28 which is adapted to receive a blow or pressure of thehand in operation. Below the head is a shank 29 which is rigidly securedto the plunger and is provided with an arm 30 to which a slide 31 isrigidly secured, said slide lying in a guide 32 in a carrying platelll'forming part of the body andreciproeating with the plunger. A spring33 hearing against the underside of the shank and against the body, thelower end of the spring being preferably socketed in the body, acts toreturn the plunger and slide to their normal position after eachoperation. As this spring is not required to perform any 'feedingorother operation but merely to return the operative parts to their normalposition after an operation, it may be made relatively light and butlittle power is required to overcome it in use, thus adding greatly tothe ease of operation ofthe machine and reducing the power or force ofthe blow or the amount of pressure required to operate it.

T he plunger is provided with a rack 34 which is engaged by a gear wheel35 having a relatively long convex sectorindicated by 36. Gear wheel 35meshes with a feed driving pinion 37 which is free to oscillate on ashaft 38 and is provided with a relatively short concave sector 109.naled in thebody and carries a feed ratchet 39 lying outside the pinion(see Fig.3) and on the opposite side of the body (see Fig. 1) carries agear wheel -10, which hasformed integral therewith or rigidly securedthereto an upper feed roll 4 Shaft 38 is jour-' 42 denotes a housingwhich is rigidly sewheel 35 and pinion 37 will return the pawl backwardover a tooth of the ratchet to its normal position. the pawl slidingforward to the engaging position after it has passed a tooth of theratchet in the backward movement.

n denotes the lower feed roll which registers with the upper feed roll,and a pinion formed integral with or rigidly secured to the lower feedroll which meshes with gear wheel L0 on the upper feed roll. The lowerfeed roll and pinion 45 are mounted to rotate on a stud -16 whichextends .from an arm 47 and lies loosely in a recess as in the body. Arm4'? is pivoted in recess 48 as at 49 and the feed roll and pinioncarried by the stud are yieldingly retained in operative position by aspring 50 the ends of which are connected. to the outer end of the arm47 and to the body 20 (see Fig. 3 in connection with Fig. 1).

The wire, indicated by 51, is carried by a drum 52 mounted on a screwstud 53 which engages the body. A spring 54 bearing against the head ofthe stud and against the side of the drum provides the necessary tensiontherefor. The wire passes from the drum through a guide 55 whichstraightens it and then. between the feed rolls from which it passesinto an elongated carrying groove 56 in a rear block 57 which is securedin the body by a screw 59 (see Fig. 4;). This groove which is coveredand closed by a front block 58 intersects a guide channel 110 in rearblock 57 in which the formers and driver, presently to be described,reciprocate. Said guide channel coincides with guidei32 and practicallyforms a continuation thereof. By providing this carrying groove for thewire between the feed rolls and the cutting off, forming and drivingmechanisms, presently to be described, I prevent the possibility of thewire buckling and insure that the exact amount of wire delivered by thefeeding mechanism will pass to the operating mechanism without kinks orbends. And furthermore by providing a relatively long convex sector 36on gear wheel 35 and a corresponding relatively short concave sector 109on pinion 37, I stop the rotation of the feed rolls the instant thefeeding movement is finished and retain them stationary during the restof the forward movement of the plunger and until near the end of thereturn movement thereof. At the end of the feeding movement concavesector 109 on the pinion will pass into engagement with the longerconvex sector on the gear wheel and during the rest of the forwardmovement of the plunger the convex sector on the gear wheel will slideover the concave surface of the sector on the pinion the pinion beingthus effectually locked against any movement whatever while the cuttingoff, forming and driving operations, presently to be de scribed, arebeing performed. i hen the plunger commences to rise or return theconvex sector on the gear wheel will slide in the oppositedirection overthe concave surface of the sector on the pinion, said pinion remaininglocked, however, until the sector on the gear wheel has passed out 01engagement with the sector on the pinion and the teeth of the gear wheelagain engage the teeth of the pinion, which does not take place untilnear the end of the upward or return movement of the plunger, as willreadily be understood from Fig. 3. As the wire is fed forward it passesthrough a groove 60 in the rear face of a forming block 61 which issocketed in front bloc]; 58. The forming block is shown as retained inits socket, indicated by 69, by a top plate 63. The forming block isfree to reciprocate transversely to block 58 and is yieldingly retainedin its forward or operative position by a spring 6% which is soclretedin a recess 65 in the forming block and bears against a face plate 66which is secured to the body and covers the cutting off, forming anddriving mechanisms. The upper rear edge of the forming block is providedwith a bevel 67 for a. purpose presently to be explained. The forwardend of the wire after the feeding movement abuts against the wall ofguide channel 110 in bloclro'l' which acts as a stop, as clearly shownin Fig. 8, so that no more wire can be fed into carrying groove 56 untilafter a staple has been cut off and formed. Should the plunger be alloed to rise or return after a feeding operation and before the cutting 1off and forming operations and should the plunger again be drivenforward the feed rolls would simply slip on the wire, as no wire couldbe forced into the carrying groove and there would be no danger of thewire buckling or of injury to the machine.

Slide 31 is retained in groove 32 by means of side plates 68 and 69which are secured to the head by screws 70 which also secure face plate66 in place, the side plates lying under the face plate. These sideplates partly overhang the groove and have in); port-ant functions whichwill presently be de scribed. The lower end of slide 31 is shown in Fig.10 as cut away upon. its face, as at i over the sides of the formingblock. The.

cutting off of the staple blank is performed by a cutter 77 at the outeredge of former 75 (see Figs. 8 and 11) acting in cooperation with thewall of groove 110 in block 57, said wall at the inner end of carryinggroove,

56 (in which the wire is held against other than longitudinal movement)serving as a stationary cutting off die. It will be noted that thecutter is at the'outer edge of former 75 and extends downward slightlybelow former 7 6, so that the cutting off of the staple blank from thestrip of wire is effected an instant before the formers commence to formthe staple aboutthe forming block. An instant after the forming of thestaple the driver engages the top of the staple and drives itthrough-the card or other article to be attached and into the article towhich it is to be attached, as will be more fully decribed. I 1

Block 7 3 carrying the formers and cutter is operated from the slide bymeans of a hook 78 which is pivoted to the slide as at 79 and isprovided at its lower end with a socket 80 which is adapted to receive astud 81 extending from the block. The inner face of side plate 69 is astraight wall as at the upper end of projection 86 is a shoulder 87which engages shoulder 84 on side'plate 68 to limit the upward or returnmovement of the slide and the parts carried thereby. In the normalposition of the parts as in Fig. at, stud 81 on block 73 is firmlyseated in socket 80 in the hook so that the block, formers and cutterare in fact locked to the slide and move forward with it, the hook beingretained in the locking position by the engagement of surface 88 on thehook with straight wall 82 on side plate 69. The parts remain in thisposition durlng the forward movement of the slide until projection 86 onthe hook engages incline and travels down said incline which forces thehook away from stud 81 as clearly shown in Fig. 5, leaving block 7 3 andthe formers and the cutter wholly disconnected from the slide, incline83 at the lower end of side plate 69 giving clearance to the hook. Thedisengagement of the hook from stud 81 will take place the instant theforming operation is completed and the block and formers will thenremain stationary. An instant previous to the commencement of thedriving operation the lower end of the driver will engage the beveledupper edge of forming block 61 and will force said block backwardagainst the power of spring 6% (see Fig removes his hand from theplunger and spring 33 acts to return the plunger and with it the slideand theparts operated by both plunger and slide to their normalposition. As the slide commences to rise or return the hook iscarriedupward thereby and the engagement of surface 88 on the hook with incline83 on side plate 69 forces the hook forward into engagement with stud 81.on block 73, projection 86 on the hook riding up incline 85 on sideplate 68 and permitting the hook to pass into engagement with the stud,as clearly shown in Fig. 9, in which position it is retained by theengagement of surface'88 on the hook with straight wall'82 on side plate69. As soon as the hook has passed into engagement with the stud, block73 and the formers and cutter will be raised to their normal positionready to cut off and form another staple.

The. operation of the machine as a whole has been so fully described indescribing the operation of the mechanisms as to-hardly require furtherdescription. Inbrief, the

card, tag or other article to be attached is placed in position upon thebox or other article to which it is to be attached, the staple driver isplaced upon the card or tag with the slide over a place wherea staple isto be driven and then a blow upon the rounded head of the plunger isstruck with thepalm of the hand, driving it forward. The forwardmovement of the plunger performs the several operations of feeding thewire for a staple, cutting off. the staple blank, formingthe staple, anddriving it, and the return movement of the plunger, which is effected bya relatively light spring the instant the hand is removed from therounded head or the pressure is relieved merely returns the parts totheir normal position. The operation of feeding is performed by feedrolls drivenzby gearing operated by the plunger. The feed rolls arelocked against backward movementby the engagement of a feed pawl with afeed ratchet and the feed driving pinion is looked after each feedingoperation through the engagement of a concave sector on the feed drivingpinion with a longer convex sector on the gear wheel which drives it,thus rendering movement of the pinion impossible until the gear wheelhas passed, during the return movement of the plunger, into position tocause the teeth of the gear wheel to again engage the teeth of thepinion. T he staple driver is a part of or is rigidly se cured to aslide which in turn is rigidly connected .to the plunger. The staple isformed over a sliding forming block provided with a, groove to receiveit, the formers, one of which is provided with a cutter to cut off thestaple blank, are carried by a block which is detachably connected tothe slide and is carried forward by the slide until the cutting off andforming operations are completed and is then detached therefrom, theblock, formers and cutter remaining stationary while; the slide anddriver continue their forward movement (the driver displacing theforming block), and drive the staple through the card, tag or notice tobe attached and into the article to which it is to be attached. Thereturn movement of the plunger caused by a spring raises the slide anddriver, causes the block carrying the formers and cutter to be connectedwith the slide and raised thereby, and returns the feed pawl, over atooth of the ratchet, to its normal position ready to feed the wire ofanother staple. Having driven a staple the body is moved to whereanother staple is required and another blow is struck upon the roundedhead, staples being formed and driven as fast as the blows are struck.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer or free end of arm 30'isconnected to the slide 31 by a screw or other suitable detachablefastener, so that when necessary or desirable, the slide can be quicklyreleased from the arm.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. As an improvement in wirefeeding mechanism, the combination with a head and a plunger mounted insaid head, of wire feeding mechanism actuated by said plunger andincluding interengaging complemental members having means forinterrupting the wire feeding functions when a predetermined quantity ofwire has been fed, and means for permitting the wire feeding members toslip with respect to the wire when the feeding movement is interrupted.2. As an improvement in Wire feeding mechanism, the: combination with ahead and a plunger mounted in said head, of wire feeding rolls, meansactuated by said plunger for operating said feed rolls, said operatingmeans including interengaged complemental members for permitting therolls to slip when feeding movement of the Wire is completed.

3. As an improvement in wire, feeding mechanism, the combination with ahead and a plunger mounted in said head, of wire feeding mechanismactuated by said plunger, said wire feeding mechanism includinga drivepinion, an operating pinion meshing with said drive pinion, said pinionsbeing provided with complemental smooth sector portions for interruptingthe wire feeding functions when a predetermined quantity of wire hasbeen fed, and means actuated by said plunger for driving said operatingpinion. v p

4. As an improvement in wire feeding mechanism, the combination with ahead and a plunger mounted therein, of wire feeding mechanism actuatedby said plunger, said wire feeding mechanism including a drive pinion,an operating pinion meshing with said drive pinion, said drive pinionbeing provided with a relatively small smooth sector portion, saidoperating pinion being provided with a relatively large smooth sectorportion cooperating with the sector portion of thedrive pinion to renderthe feeding mechanism inoperative when a predetermined quantity of wirehas been fed, and means actuated by said plunger for driving saidoperating pinion.

5,. As an improvement in wire feeding mechanism," the combination with ahead and a plunger mounted therein, of an arm pivoted to said head atone end, means for resiliently supporting the other end of said arm,feed rolls one of which is supported by said arm, a drive pinion foractuating said feed rolls, and an operating pinion rotated by saidplunger and meshing with said drive pinion, said pinions being providedwith complemental smooth sector portions for interrupting the wirefeeding functions when a predetermined quantity of wire has been fed.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS R. HEIM. WVitnesses i A. M. l/Voos'rnn, S. W. ATHERTON;

flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C.

